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John Drane (1842-1914)
}} Residence 0yrs-1842-Melbourne, Vic 7yrs-1849-Bacchus Marsh, Melbourne, Vic 9yrs-1851-Glenroy, Melbourne, Vic 9yrs-1851-Ravenswood Run, Vic (1) 9yrs-1851-Bendigo goldfield, Vic (2) 10yrs-1852-Bacchus Marsh, Melbourne, Vic 12yrs-1854-Ballarat, Vic (3) 15yrs-1857-Buninyong (near Ballarat), Vic 19yrs-1861-Moved to New South Wales *(1) In March 1851 his step-father, John "Happy Jack" Kennedy (c1818-1883), took a job as shepherd/overseer on the Ravenswod Run which included the Bendigo Creek. *(2) Pioneer on the Bendigo goldfield at the very beginning, helping his mother wash for gold. *(3) Living with his family at Ballarat in 1854. Witnessed the unrest of the Eureka Stockade on 3 Dec 1854, something he never forgot. Moved to New South Wales John Drane moved to New South Wales in about 1861 at about the age of 19 to live with and work for his uncle Alfred Walter Drane (c1823-1876), blacksmth, at Glennies Creek near Camberwell. His uncle Alfred Walter Drane had immigrated to New South Wales from England in 1855 and settled at Glennies Creek. John Drane's mother had obviously remained in contact with her first husband's family in England after her first husband, John Drane's father, died in 1845, and then maintained contact after she remarried in 1849 and moved abodes in Victoria, and maintained contact with his uncle Alfred Walter Drane after he immigrated to New South Wales in 1855. If this contact had not been maintained John Drane would never have been able to be offered a job by his uncle and he would never have been able to move to New South Wales to live with his uncle. Occupation Blacksmith, farrier & wheelwright (like his father & grandfather before him) + Poundkeeper + Wine bar proprietor also offering meals & accomodation + Postmaster at Camberwell. These occupations were concurrent until 1903 when he was refused renewal of his wine license. 1890 Select Committee In September & October 1890 a Select Committee of the Victorian Parliament was held into the claims of Henry Frencham (1816-1897) to have been the first to find gold on the Bendigo goldfield in 1851. At stake was a cash reward. Many other claimants also gave evidence, including John Drane's mother. His mother claimed to have been the first to have found gold. Her evidence was that she first found gold after deliberately going to the Bendigo Creek to wash for gold, as a result of her husband, John "Happy Jack" Kennedy (c1818-1883), telling her that Bendigo Creek looked to be a likely spot where gold might be found. She admitted taking her son, 9 year old John Drane, to help her. Her evidence was that she then returned to the Ravenswood Homestead (then timber) before returning again to Bendigo Creek with Julia Farrell to continue washing for gold. Other witnesses also mentioned seeing John Drane working with his mother in washing for gold. John Drane, 48 years old in 1890, did not support his mother's claim before the Select Committee, either in person or in writing. John Drane was the only one of his mother's children who could have possibly supported his mother's claim to have been the first to have found gold on the Bendigo goldfield. Her other children who had also been with her while she washed for gold on the Bendigo goldfield in 1851 were then 7 year old Mary Ann Drane who in 1890 was living with her family in Canada, and then 2 year old Mary Jane Kennedy and baby Lucy Kennedy who were both too young to remember their time at the Bendigo Creek in 1851. The Select Committee was unable decide who had been the first to find gold at Bendigo in 1851. Obituary DEATH OF AN OLD IDENTITY. An old identity of this district died suddenly on Thursday, at Rosedale, in the person of Mr. John Drane, who was for many years a resident at Camberwell. During the time he was at Camberwell, the late Mr. Drane kept a blacksmith's shop, and he was very well known and highly respected throughout the district. For the past six years, the deceased had been living with his married daughter, Mrs. Margaret Carroll of Ravensworth, and had been in good health so far as was known. About half-past 2 o'clock on Thursday afternoon he went out of the house to get some wood, and returned with his arm full. He was talking in the kitchen to two of his granddaughters when he suddenly collapsed. He was attended to immediately, but it was found that he was dead. The deceased who was 72 years of age, was a native of Victoria, and had been 53 years in New South Wales. He is survived by an adult family of eight. The remains are to be interred today at Camberwell. :: Mr. J. Drane, a very old identity of this place, dropped dead at the residence, of his daughter, Mrs. J. Carroll, Nundah, on Thursday last. The immediate cause of death was heart failure. Deceased was a native of Victoria, and was at Ballarat when the Eureka stockade riot occurred, and Bentley's hotel burned by the infuriated diggers. He arrived here when but a lad, and lived for some time with his uncle [ Alfred Walter Drane (c1823-1876) ], who carried on a blacksmithing business at the time. Deceased learned the trade under his uncle, and became a good workman. After the uncle relinquished business [ in 1874 ], deceased carried it in his own name. He also held the position of local postmaster and poundkeeper for a number of years, and also ran a wineshop. He was a noted pole vaulter in his early days and a good all-round cricketer, and could hold his own with the best in throwing the weight. He was good-hearted, and always ready with assistance when requisitioned in time of trouble. His wife pre-deceased him some years back. Decoased was 71 years of age, and leaves a family of six daughters, all of whom are married, and a number of grandchildren to mourn his loss. The remains were interred in Camberwell Church of England cemetery on Saturday afternoon. ::